Provide health care cards to foster children

Implementation

1 July 2001 ongoing

What's New

This initiative will allow all foster carers to access Health Care Cards for foster children in their care, regardless of means testing. It will assist children in both formal and informal foster care.

This measure recognises that children in foster care may have a variety of additional medical, education and psychological needs. It is an important early intervention and prevention strategy that recognises the valuable role that foster carers play. It helps Australian foster carers by enabling them to access a range of services that may ameliorate the foster child's disadvantage. In particular, it will enable foster carers to purchase Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) scripts for their foster children at the discounted rate, generally $3.50 per script. It may also enable access to other concessions provided by state/territory governments or other organisations.

Background

This extends the measure announced in the 1998-99 Budget that allowed the issue of a Health Care Card to foster carers who receive Family Tax Benefit, providing the foster child was eligible for a card when they were with their original family. This initiative will enable foster carers to receive a card for any foster child in their care, regardless of whether they qualify for Family Tax Benefit or whether the child was eligible for a card with their original family.